Maintaing your notebook (or whats left of it)

So im just curious as to ways to maintain and prolong the lifespan of my notebooks hardware. The only thing i really do is just wipe off dust and blow out the vent. But right now im in college and i dont have cash to drop on repairs and especially that expensive repairs aren't worth it since i can throw in a few hundred extra $ and get a new notebook altogether.

So far my notebook is 13 months old and i take it to school every day, so yes there is some wear and tear during travelling. More importantly 2 keys off my keyboard have come off and now i have to spend money on a new keyboard. I also noticed a very very tiny scratch or dent on my screen.

So im basically afraid that the next thing that might go is one of the more expensive components.

 

Other than blowing the dust out there is nothing you need to do as long as you dont drop it. Dont listen to the poeple who claim you need to re-apply thermal paste on the CPU...you dont.

 

you don't need to, but you could do it while you clean out the dust.

 

Hu??????? You dont take apart your laptop to clean out the dust you simply use canned air to blow it out.

 

You may not, but others do...

 

sorry i didn't read the OP properly, my mistake

 

Yeah, there is a lot of dust that collects that can't be removed without taking it apart. Not necessary, but I like to clean it out.

By the thermal paste thing I think he meant not to listen to people who tell you that you need to replace the thermal paste because it goes bad. iGrim is right that it has an indefinite lifespan and its replacement is not a maintenance procedure.

The only thing you can really do is not drop your laptop.

 

Heh. In the three years plus I've owned this current laptop, not once have I cleaned it out in any possible way. And yes that includes cleaning out the dust. Still works fine

 

There's really not much you can do to maintain the laptop. Just keep doing the same routines and make sure you delete all unnecessary files and programs. Keep it clean! Your notebook could last for the rest of your time in college if you don't drop it or get a virus.

 

I would advise the OP to use compressed air to dislodge caked dust, then use a vacuum cleaner to remove it from the laptop's internals. Taking apart a laptop is risky and time-consuming if the machine hasn't been designed with user maintenance in mind; and most laptops aren't designed with this purpose in mind at all.

 

I just blow out the dust with compressed air....

 

Internally cleaning the fan isn't that big of a deal depending on the laptop design. I know on laptop its a very easy thing to do with minimal disassemble (I think like 2 screws maybe). This however is a very old laptop so new ones may have much more sophisticated cooling systems.